


The Valentine's Day Interview

by DKGwrites



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, SuperCorp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 08:18:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13677840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DKGwrites/pseuds/DKGwrites
Summary: Two strangers out Valentine's Day evening, both whose luck seems to have turned for the worse, share a cab.  This leads to conversation, and conversation leads to...a better night.





	The Valentine's Day Interview

Donovan’s Steak and Chophouse, with its dark wood walls and light ceilings, white tablecloths and colorful carpets, was one of the most popular places for fine-dining in the San Diego area.  The food was spectacular though pricey.  However, you got what you paid for.  It was normally busy, the kind of place that required a reservation.  On Valentine’s Day, that reservation needed to be made weeks in advance.

Sitting at her table, her breadbasket empty, Kara sent off another text.  The last four had gone unanswered, and the waitress had wandered by again and was shooting her the stink eye.  There was a good reason.  Her date was over a half an hour later, closer to forty-five minutes at this point.  She’d called twice, and the phone hadn’t been picked up.  Fingers nervously drummed out her concern.  Finally, she went to Mike’s Instagram page like a reporter would, hoping something would give her a lead.  Her drumming stopped as her hand tightened into a fist.  Eyes closing, she took several breaths before pulling some money out and dropping it onto the table then slinking off to free the table for some couple who could enjoy it.

Outside, Lena pulled up to the curb and cursed under her breath.  “Fucking potholes.  For what I pay in taxes, this road should be smooth as a baby’s ass.”

_“What was that, Miss Luthor?”_

“Jess, I’m going to have to call you back.  I think I have a flat.”

_“Oh, want me to call AAA?”_

“No, let me get out and assess the damage.  I can call them if I need to do so.”

_“Miss Luthor, I’d be happy to—”_

“Jess, type up my notes and call the Elwoods.  Tell them I might be late for the meeting.  I can handle calling roadside service myself.  Hell, I have a Master’s in Engineering.  I can change a damn tire myself.”

_“Miss Luthor, you wouldn’t really would you?”_

“Why not?” Lena asked, a smile on her face.  “That would make for a more interesting paparazzi picture than most of what they take of me.  Goodbye, Jess.”

_“Goodbye, Miss Luthor.”_

Getting out of her car, Lena stepped around the side to see her front right tire was indeed flat.  “Right, well, so long as I have a spare tire, I can fix this.  No problem.”  She raised an eyebrow as she walked toward the trunk and stopped by the rear tire which was also flat.  “All right, problem.  I don’t have two spare tires.  Well...fuck.”  Going back into the car, she used OnStar to get a tow truck, grabbing her laptop bag and purse as she stepped out of the car again.

“Hey, you can’t park that there,” A young man in a white shirt and a red jacket said as he approached.  “This is for valet parking.  You’ll get towed.”

“Well, that’s convenient because I have two flat tires and just called a tow truck,” Lena replied with a smile.  “I can’t drive it.  The truck is on its way to tow it out of here.”

“Yeah but—”

She handed him the keys and a fifty-dollar bill.  “Give the keys to the tow truck driver when they show up, all right?  The money is for you looking after my car until then.” Turning on her heel, Lena stepped off the curb and into the street to raise her hand.  “Taxi!”  Turning, Lena looked at the blonde next to her who was mirroring her motion and word.  As the blonde looked back at her, a cab pulled up.  “Oh, were you…?”

“Yeah, I…”  Kara shrugged.  “You go ahead.  I’ll just…”

“No, if you were waiting, I wouldn’t want to be rude.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Kara replied.  “The night is ruined anyway.”

“Well, um...share a cab?” Lena asked as she pulled open the cab door and offered a small but encouraging smiled.

“Well...sure,” Kara said, managing a small smile in return.  “Thanks.”

As they entered the cab, they both gave the addresses of their destinations.

“Kara,” the blonde offered as Lena pulled out her phone and checked messages.

“Hmmmm?”

“My name, it’s Kara.”

“Oh, I’m…” Putting her phone back into her purse, Lena extended a hand.  “Lena.”

“It’s nice to make your acquaintance, Lena,” Kara said, shaking with a bit of gusto.  “Are you running late for a date?”

“A date?  Me?”

“A...yeah?  It is Valentine’s Day.”

“Oh.”  Lena nodded.  “I knew that.  Well, I knew it was the 14th of February but...never mind.  No, I’m on my way to a business meeting, but I got a flat tire, two actually, so I called a tow truck to deal with my car and then a cab, and...well, you know the rest.  Are you headed to dinner or…?”

“From...sort of.  I got stood up.”

“On Valentine’s Day,” Lena stated, her brows drawing sharply together.

Kara nodded, looking down at her hands.

“Well, whoever did that’s an idiot.”  When Kara looked up, their gazes meeting, Lena added, “I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have jumped to that assumption, but you seem quite nice, and you’re lovely.  I couldn’t imagine standing you up so…”

Kara shrugged.  “You’re right.  He’s an idiot.”  Digging her phone out of her purse, she added, “Look at this.”  Kara went back to Mike’s Instagram page.  It showed images of a man at a bar doing body shots off of some blonde woman lying on top of a bar. There were Valentine’s decorations all about.

“Is that your…?”

Kara nodded.

“Oh, well, that clearly isn’t you.  That’s right now?”

“While we’re supposed to be on our date, yes.”

Lena studied the picture for a moment, then pushed Kara’s phone back at her and said, “Well, Kara, I’d say you got out just in time.  It could be worse.  You could have been sitting at the restaurant for your third anniversary, some neighbor babysitting the kid, when you found out to whom you were married.  I’d say you escaped a close call.”  Leaning a bit closer, she added, “You’re a lucky girl.”

Considering that as she studied her phone, Kara managed to find a genuine smile.  She put the phone away and met Lena’s gaze again.  “You’re right.  I am.  So, business meeting on Valentine’s Day, huh?  That doesn’t seem right.  Don’t tell me you can’t get a date.  I don’t see any rings on those fingers, so is your boyfriend off to some exotic country or something?”

Lena laughed as she waggled a finger at Kara.  “No.  Wrong on all counts.”

Leaning back against the seat of the cab, Kara studied Lena.  “You’re single.”

“Decidedly so.”

“No boyfriend?”

Lena smirked.

“Oh.”  Sitting upright, Kara nodded quickly.  “My sister’s gay.”

“You’re not going to try and set me up, are you?”

With a nervous laugh, Kara adjusted her glasses.  “I would if she were single.  She’s out on a date with her fiancée.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lena replied, “Lucky them.  Engaged lesbians, what is this their fifth date...sixth?”

As Lena grinned, Kara laughed.  “Hah!  Close.  They’ve been dating a little over a year.”

“Wow, they really are taking it slow.  Well, good for them.  I wish them a long and happy life together.”

“Thanks.”  After a small but comfortable silence, Kara asked, “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“What makes you decidedly single?  Messy recent breakup?”  When Lena raised an eyebrow again, Kara added, “Come on.  I showed you the picture of my douche-bro of a boyfriend doing body shots off of some anonymous blonde.  We’re bonding here.  Give me something, Lena.”

“Oh, quid pro quo?”

“Yeah, like tit for tat,” Kara replied.

“Hmmm...and you want tat?”

“Yeah,” Kara agreed with a smile that soon fell off her face.  “Oh, no I didn’t mean...whatever.  Just give me some tat already.”

“Well, with an offer like that…” Lena’s smile grew on the right side of her face, but then she shrugged.  “Dating has been difficult for me in recent years.  I’m too much in the spotlight.”

“Are you a celebrity?”

“A public figure of sorts.”

“Really?”  Adjusting her glasses, Kara said, “I don’t recognize you.”

“Do you read gossip mags?”

Face screwed up in displeasure, Kara shook her head.

“Ah, I knew there was something I liked about you, Kara.  What about the business or technology sections of the paper?”

“Not my part of the paper,” Kara replied with a small smile.  “I’m into political action, like human rights, you know?”

“Oh, you’re a do-gooder?”

“I hope so.  I mean, I think we all have a responsibility to each other, don’t you?”

Rolling her hand in front of herself, Lena said, “Go on.”

“Okay, so I think immigrant and alien rights are really important especially with this current government we have in place.  This country is mostly made up of the descendants of immigrants, and those are the people who think they have the right to kick out anyone who wasn’t born here.  It’s infuriating, and we need to be vocal about it.”

“Oh, I agree,” Lena said with a small smile.  “I’m an immigrant.”

“You are?”

Lena nodded.  “My family is American, but I was adopted when I was four.”

Hand to her chest, Kara bounced slightly in her seat.  “Wow me too.  I wasn’t born in this country, and I’m adopted too.  I was thirteen.”

“Oh, that’s much older.  It must have been...I’m sorry, Kara.”

With a shy smile, Kara said, “My family is nice, but yeah, losing my parents, that was tough.  My sister Alex and I, we didn’t really get on well for the first year.  Something happened and we nearly lost her, and that put everything into perspective for me.  You don’t realize what you have until you lose it or nearly lose it, you know?”

Lena nodded.

“I don’t meet a lot of other people who are adopted.”  With a slowly growing smile, Kara added, “Especially in the back of cabs.”

“Nor do I.  I must say, this is a much different take on the immigrant discussion than I usually have.”

“How so?”

With an eye roll, Lena explained, “Well, I deal with a lot of c-suite level older gentlemen, conservative by nature.  I try to avoid politics as I find they don’t often mesh well with business, but I don’t pull punches when we go that route.  They tell me how immigrants are ruining this country, and I simply tell them ‘I’m an immigrant.’” Lena sat with an eyebrow raised, leveling a gaze at Kara as way of example.  “Then they stumble over their explanation because when they say immigrant, they don’t really mean immigrant.  They’re trying to dance around another word, and they try to explain it to me without saying it, try to win me to their side of the argument.”

“What do they really mean?” Kara asked, inching closer.

“You see, Kara, the threat to this establishment isn’t immigrants.  People like you and me, we may be immigrants, but we’re not a threat because of something we have in common.”  As Kara awaited the explanation, Lena placed her hand on Kara’s knee right next to Kara’s own hand and tapped one hand and then the other, repeating the gesture a few times, with her free hand.

Kara tensed at the hand on her knee, at the contact.  It took a moment before she looked down to Lena’s other hand that was tapped hers and then Lena’s again.  It took another moment before her brain caught up to what wasn’t being said but was being explained.  “Ah...We’re both white.”

Lena grinned, nodding slowly.  When she withdrew her hand it was a slow process, far after understanding had set in with Kara and with a slow drag across the blonde’s exposed knee.  She watched the blush creep up the other woman’s neck and the way Kara smiled hard.  Her own hands firmly in her lap again, Lena smiled with confidence.  “Yes, the immigration debate is just another veil of racism.  As you said, most everyone is just a few generations from immigrating to this country, and those who are native aren’t the ones who are complaining about non-white immigrants.”

With wide eyes, Kara nodded quickly.  “You get it.  I wish we weren’t ending this ride so soon.  This is definitely the best conversation I’ve ever had in the back of a cab.”

“Do you share a lot of cabs?”

“It saves money.”  Kara shrugs. “Don’t you?”

“I…”  Looking out at the standstill traffic jam, Lena said, “Well, you may get your wish.  We haven’t moved in a few minutes.”

“We haven’t?”  Kara looked outside the cab, eyes wide.  “Huh.  I was so caught up in talking to you, I didn’t even notice.”

“Sweet talker,” Lena said as she knocked on the divider of the cab.  “Any idea what’s going on with this traffic?  I’m running late for a meeting.”

Looking over his shoulder, the cabbie shrugged.

“Very helpful.  Thank you,” Lena said before digging her phone out of her purse and activating waze.  The app showed both construction and a major accident that was near the entrance to the highway.  It was blocking an underpass and stopping traffic in both directions.  “Well, we won’t be moving for a bit.  They’ve got an overturned oil tanker, and it’s leaking onto the road.”

“At least it’s not the ocean,” Kara said.

Smiling over at Kara, Lena asked, “Have you had dinner?”

Looking away a bit shyly, Kara admitted, “Just some rolls.”

“Well, I’m not going to make my business meeting, and those were my dinner plans since I’m terribly single.  You boyfriend is—”

“Ex-boyfriend,” Kara corrected.  “Mike the douche-bro is officially my ex-boyfriend.”

“Oh.”  Lena nodded.  “Does he know that?”

Pulling out her phone, Kara shot off a quick text then smiled up at Lena as she dropped her phone back into her purse.  “He does now.”

“Did you just dump him via text?”

Kara shrugged.  “It’s better than he deserved.  So, ex-boyfriend to clarify.  Now, go on.”

After nodding slowly, Lena said, “So, since your ex-boyfriend didn’t show up, and you didn’t have dinner, we’re both single and hungry on Valentine’s Day.”

Kara smiled dazzlingly.  “So we are.”

“Also, Juniper and Ivy just happens to be right there, and the food is fabulous.  Shall we?”

Kara glanced out the window at the restaurant, then turned back to Lena with furrowed brows.  “On Valentine’s Day?  Lena, that place is hard to get into on a Wednesday at 4:00 o’clock.  There’s no way we’re getting in there tonight.”

Squeezing Kara’s elbow, Lena leaned in and smiled from just the right side of her face.  “Trust me.”

Suppressing a shiver, Kara nodded.

Rapping on the divider again, Lena said, “We’re getting out here.”  She handed the cabbie far more than was on the meter and well beyond a tip and said, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”  Nodding when he called out his thanks.

“I should pay for half of that.”

“You can get the next one,” Lena said taking Kara’s elbow and steering her toward the restaurant.  “Also, I’m paying for dinner since I asked you.”

At the entrance, Kara pulled up short.  “Asked me as in asked me out?”

Head tilted to the side, Lena said, “If you’re interested, then yes.  If not, then asked you to eat dinner, continue our conversation, and I hope become friends.  Lady’s choice but no pressure.”

“Well, you’re much prettier than Mike.”

“Well, that’s a given,” Lena replied with a laugh.

Laughing in turn, Kara nodded.  “Consider me interested.”

Opening the door, Lena said, “After you?”

“Thank you,” Kara replied as she walked through the door.  There were several people waiting, and the place was packed.  As Lena walked up to her, Kara said, “This was pretty much what I expected.  You have a magic trick to get us in here?”

Smirking, Lena replied, “I might know a magic word.  Follow me.”

As we approached the maître de, she asked, “Reservation?”

“We don’t actually have one,” Kara replied.

“We’re booked tonight folks.  You can wait but—”

“Luthor,” Lena said as she stepped around Kara.

Eyes wide and eyebrows high, the maître de took an involuntary step back, “Miss Luthor!  Of...Of course, ma’am.  I...I didn’t know it was you.”

“I trust my usual table is available?”

“Yes, definitely, yes!”  Nodding quickly, the woman grabbed menus.  “I’ll take you and your…” Her eyes glided over Kara briefly.  “Party there.  Just the two of you?”

“Of course,” Lena replied, “It’s Valentine’s Day.”

They were seated quickly, and water and bread were brought out.  As soon as they were alone again, Kara leaned over.  “Is your name Luthor as in Luthor?”

Head tilting to the side, Lena asked, “Do you want to try that question again?”

“Right, that sucked,” Kara mumbled to herself.  “So, Lena Luthor as in the Luthors of National City?  I mean, like the Luthor Corp Luthors?”

“I renamed it L-Corp.”

“You…!”  Kara nodded.  “So, that’s a yes.”

“Is this a problem?  Look, Kara—”

“Wait, Lena, wait.”  Kara held out a hand then sat back when a waiter came nearby, but Lena shooed him away.  “Okay, it’s not you; it’s me.”

Narrowing her eyes, Lena stared at Kara witheringly.

“Okay, that came out wrong.  I meant to say your job isn’t the problem; it’s my job.  I guess this is sort of first date discussion stuff, and it’s getting messy fast.”

With a slow nod, Lena asked, “Do you work for a competitor?”

“No.  I’m a reporter.”

“A re…!”  Lower her voice, Lena pressed her forearms onto the table.  “You’re a reporter, and you don’t know how I am?”

Kara nodded quickly.  “I’m a cub reporter for Catco Magazine.  We’re really just moving from fashion into other avenues, and I’m working more on politics and civil rights.  I don’t have anything to do with business or science.  Sure, I know your name now that you said it, but you never said your last name in the cab.  I don’t read gossip columns.  I had no idea what you looked like.”

Pushing back in her chair, Lena seemed to consider this for a moment.  “Does going on a date with me feel like a conflict of interest to you?”

“No.  I mean, I know a bit about your politics, things I knew about the changes to L-Corp as a company not what you told me in the cab.  I think you’re great for this city.  I’m not a tech or business reporter though.  I’m fine with this.  When I said your business wasn’t an issue for me, I meant it.  I’m worried how you’ll feel being on a date with a reporter.  I swear I didn’t know who you were until you said your last name.”

Lena nodded.  “I believe you.  However, our picture will be taken, and it’s Valentine’s Day.  This is going to hit the gossip columns, Miss...I don’t even know your last name.”

“Danvers.  My name is Kara Danvers.”

“Well, this is going to hit the gossip column, Miss Danvers, and it won’t look like two people who were sharing a cab and got stuck in traffic.  The more we say that is what it is, the more it will look like the denial of some kind of long-term relationship.”

“Oh, right.”  Taking a sip of her water, Kara furrowed her brow.  “I don’t want some stupid gossipers to tell me who I can and can’t date.  I like you.  Can’t we just…”  Kara made a vague gesture at the table.

“Won’t it be a problem with you at work?”

“I...I don’t know.  Should it be?”

“I have an idea.  Do you have your notebook and pen?”

“Always,” Kara said, holding up her purse.

“Perfect.”  Lena smiled.  “Put them on the table and open your notebook to a clean page.  If you have a recorder, pull that out.”

Doing as Lena requested, Kara then looked across the table and asked, “Why am I doing this?”

“For the interview.”

“Oh.”  Kara nodded.  “What interview?”

“This one for the paparazzi,” Lena explained.

“Oooooh.  That’s clever.  So, we’re not dating; this is officially an interview should anyone see us.”

“Officially, yes,” Lena said as she smiled over the rim of her water glass.  “However, unofficially…”  As Kara smiled, back, Lena said, “I don’t mean to be rude, but I need to text my assistant and let her know I won’t be making my meeting.  Do you mind?”

“Please, go ahead.  I’ll just…” Kara held up the menu.

Pulling out her phone, Lena shot off a text.

Lena: “I got stuck in traffic.  I need you to reschedule the meeting.  I won’t be making it.”

The response was almost immediate.

Jess: “Of course, Miss Luthor.  Any particular time, or should I just check your schedule?”

Lena: “Check my schedule.”

Lena: “Also, Jess, will you run a quick check for me on a reporter named Kara Danvers?”

Lena: “She works for Catco Magazine.”

Jess: “Yes, Miss Luthor.  I’ll work on that.”

Lena: “I need the information on the reporter immediately.”

Jess: “Yes, ma’am.  Is there a problem?”  

Jess: “Do you need security?”

Lena started and erased her response several times, glancing over at where Kara still studied her menu before finally replying to Jess.

Lena: “No.  I’m on a date with her.”

Lena smirked when Jess, who was usually quick and professional with her responses, took nearly a minute to text something back.

Jess: “I apologize, Miss Luthor, but was that autocorrect?”

Jess: “You just texted that you’re on a date with a reporter.”

Lena: “It wasn’t autocorrect.”

Jess: “You’re on a date.”

Lena: “Yes.”

Jess: “With a reporter.”

Lena: “That’s correct.”

Jess: “On Valentine’s Day.”

Lena’s smile kept growing with each text.

Lena: “The 14th of February every year.”

Jess: “While you’re supposed to be at an important business meeting.”

Lena: “Accurate.”

Jess: “Which you’re canceling because of traffic.”

Lena: “You’ve got it.”

There was a long enough pause that Lena was about the text Jess again.  Then an email came through.  When she checked, it was Kara’s bio with Catco along with several of the reporter’s articles.  Lena skimmed them seeing it was exactly as Kara had explained.  When another text came through, Lena read it.

Jess: “I spoke with the Elwoods and explained about your traffic issues.  You were very apologetic.  We’re working on a schedule update.”

Lena: “Excellent.  Thank you for taking care of this, Jess.”

Jess: “Of course, Miss Luthor. Anything else?”

Lena: “That’s it for tonight. There really was traffic.”

Jess: “Of course, there was.”

Lena: “There really was.”

Jess: “I’m agreeing with you.”

Lena sighed.

Lena: “Goodnight, Jess.”

Jess: “Goodnight, Miss Luthor.”

Lena was putting her phone away when another text came through.

Jess: “Have fun. Miss Danvers is very pretty.”

Caught between a smile and her face screwing up in annoyance, Lena sighed slightly and eventually smiled as she put the phone away.

“Is everything all right?” Kara asked.

“Perfect,” Lena replied, “My assistant is working on rescheduling my meeting.  Would you like some wine?”

“Uh, sure?  Order whatever you think is good.  You’ll probably be horrified to hear this, but I generally get my wine in a box.”

“In a box?”  Lena blinked several times.  “I’ve heard of that, but I’ve never had wine out of a box.”

“Interesting,” Kara said as she clicked her pen open and wrote something down.

“What are you doing?”

Her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth, Kara glanced up at Lena, “Taking notes for my interview/slash planning our next date.  It’s going to involve box wine.”

“Oh, next date.  You’re pretty sure of yourself, huh?”

Nodding, Kara asked, “Have you ever been to a drive-in?”

“A drive-in what?” Lena asked.

Looking askance, Kara shook her head and then jotted something down.

“Why do I feel like I’m failing a job interview?” She held up her hand and called over the waiter.

“Favorite Disney movie?” Kara asked.

Lena’s eyes flicked to Kara several times before she ordered the wine.

“Favorite Disney movie,” Kara repeated.

“I heard you.”

“And?”

“Kara.”  Lena sighed.  “You see, my childhood was different than most people’s.  My mother is very controlling, and then academic excellence was expected of me.  I went to college at thirteen.  So when I was a child—”

“I’m not asking about your childhood.  I’m asking about Disney movies.”  When Lena’s mouth opened, but no sound came out, Kara said, “You’re kidding me.”

“College at thirteen, Kara.”

“What about now?”

“I...I’m a twenty-four-year-old CEO of one of the largest companies on the west coast, and before that, I was working on the cure for cancer.”

“Well, what are you doing Saturday?”

“Working?”

“Nah-uh.  We’re getting a box of wine and several Disney DVDs and…” Pointing at Lena, Kara said, “Tell me you’ve had s’mores.”

“I’ve had s’mores.”

“What are s’mores?” Kara asked, still pointing.

“Graham crackers, chocolate, and melted marshmallows.”

Sinking back into her chair with her hand to her chest, Kara nodded.  “Okay.  Okay.  I was scared for a moment there that you’d never been to a proper campfire.”

“...well.”

Pushing upright in the chair again, Kara asked, “Well, what?”

“Well...We made them over bunsen burners in the chemistry lab.  I’ve never actually been to a campfire.  You see my mother—”

Half rising from her chair, Kara laid her napkin on the table.

“Are you leaving?” Lena asked.

“I’m thinking maybe we both should.  This is lovely, but it’s not too late to head out to a park and build a campfire, right?”

“Aren’t we a little...overdressed,” Lena said as she gestured first to herself and then to Kara.

Looking down at her dress, Kara nodded while she sat again.  “Okay, okay, you’re right.  Saturday night though, Saturday night we’re building a campfire.  We’ll do a box of wine with Disney movies, and then that night, we’ll have s’mores and a campfire.”

Lena nodded at Kara’s grave intensity, then tasted the wine that was brought over.  Once she approved of it, a glass was poured for both her and Kara.

Holding out her glass, Lena said, “To first interviews.”

Smiling, Kara gently connected their glasses.  “To first interviews.”  As she took a sip of the wine, her brows furrowed.  “So, this is the kind of wine you’re used to drinking?”

“Problem?”

“No.”  Kara took another sip, then put the glass down on the table.  “I just need to admit something to you, Lena.  If this is what you’re used to, you won’t be impressed with boxed wine.”

After just a moment, Lena broke into peals of laughter.

Dinner went quite well.  Kara took notes on all of the important things in life she felt it was ridiculous that Lena had never done.  In turn, Lena insisted that Kara add a section for life experiences that Lena felt were critical but on which Kara had missed out.  Much of it had to do with travel, and when the CEO found out that Kara had an art degree, the tempo picked up on certain locations.

By the time they ordered dessert, both laughing, at ease, acting like old friends but with far too much chemistry to be friendly, Kara reached for her purse.  “Lena, do you mind if I check my phone?  My texts are going crazy, and I want to make sure it isn’t my sister.  It shouldn’t be. She’s out with Maggie, but I want to make sure nothing went wrong.”

Nodding and smiling, Lena waved a hand casually.

Pulling out her phone, Kara began to read her texts, and the smile slowly fell off her face.

“Is something wrong with your sister?”

Head shaking, Kara said, “It’s my boss.  You weren’t kidding about the paparazzi.  Pictures of us are already out there.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Kara.  The fake interview didn’t work?”

“Oh, it worked.”  Kara met Lena’s gaze.  “Miss Grant has included several questions that need to be part of the interview ‘in no uncertain terms’, her words not mine.  Apparently, she wants to know how I scored an interview with National City’s most elusive CEO.”

“Also her words?”

Kara nodded.

“Well, that backfired on us.  I have been avoiding the press so...When do you want to do the interview?”

“Excuse me?”

“The interview, the one your boss thinks you’re getting, when do you want to do it?”

“Oh, no, Lena, you don’t have to—”

“Kara, it’s fine.  This is coming directly from Cat Grant, isn’t it?”

“It…Yes.”

“I hear she’s relentless.”

“Miss Grant’s not that bad.  She’s just driven, focused, unyielding, uncompromising, unstoppable—”

“Kara, those last three were synonyms for relentless.”

“Oh, right.  She’s really not that bad though.”

Lena shrugged.  “I have been avoiding the press, and I could use someone I could trust with my image.  Would it hurt your career any to be that someone?”

“Do you want me to interview you?  I don’t know a lot about business or science.”

“But you know people.  I can provide you technical information that you can release, and financial data that’s relevant.  I need someone to humanize me.  I need someone who can see beyond my name.”

Reaching across and grabbing Lena’s hand, Kara said, “You’re more than just your name.”

Lena smiled.  “So, would you like to be my reporter?”

Running a thumb along Lena’s, Kara said, “Miss Luthor, I’d be honored.”

“Please, call me Lena.”

Kara laughed.  “Well, then you’ll have to call me Kara.”

 

<><> 

 

The next morning, at the sound of her phone vibrating, Kara grabbed it and smiled at the text she saw had just come in.

Alex: “Hey, how did you date with Mike go?”

Kara: “Great.  He stood me up.”

Alex: “Fucker!  What’s his last name again?  He’s about to feel the full power of the federal government.”

Kara:  “Alex.  Noooooo!  It was a good thing.  I met someone else.  We ended up going out.  It really was great?”

Alex:  “Wow.  Awesome.  What’s his name?”

Kara:  “Lena.”

Text bubbles appeared and disappeared for a bit.

Alex:  “That doesn’t sound like a guy’s name.”

Kara: “There’s a reason for that Alex.”

Alex:  “Okay.  Cool.  Do I get to meet her?”

Kara:  “We just had one date.  Don’t rush things.”

Alex:  “But you’re girls.  It’s different.  Date 2 is the uhaul date.”

Kara:  “I don’t know what that means.”

Alex:  “I’ll tell you over breakfast.  I’ll bring doughnuts.”

Kara: “No.”

Alex: “Did you just say no to doughnuts!?  Who are you?  Did you steal my sister’s phone?  I’m a federal agent.  I can trace this phone.”

Kara: “Hahaha.  I have an interview early this morning Alex.  I’m not home.”

Alex:  “You get a new lead on your immigrant story?”

Kara: “Actually, this is with the CEO of L-Corp.”

Alex: “A technology firm?”

Kara: “Yup.”

Alex: “That’s not your usual beat.  What’s up?”

Kara: “I’ll tell you later.  I’ve got to go.  Oh did you and Maggie have a nice night?”

Alex: “It was awesome.”

Kara: “Great.  I want to hear all about it.”

Alex: “After I hear about your night.”

Kara: “Deal.  Bye.”

Alex: “Later.  Good luck with the interview.  I hope you nail it.”

Kara:  “I will.”

Putting down her phone on the bedside table, Kara rolled back over to where Lena lay, “Sorry.  Didn’t mean to wake you.”

Smiling, Lena kissed her gently.  “Don’t be silly.  It’s not a problem.  Was that work?”

“My sister,” Kara replied with a small shake of her head.  “She wanted to know how my date with Mike went last night.”

Smirking, Lena lifted one eyebrow.  “What did you tell her?”

“That it went great.”  She paused slightly, her own smile growing.  “Because he stood me up, and I met you.”

“Ah, so the prodigal sister knows I exist.”

“Vaguely.  Alex and I are very close, and she’s going to want to know all about you once she knows who you are.  You can expect an FBI investigation into your life once she finds out about...this.”

Lena laughed.  “Well, I’m not concerned.  I’ve been investigated by the actual FBI on more than one occasion.  I think I can handle one overprotective sister.”

Eyes widening a bit, Kara looked a bit sheepish.  “Thing is, my sister is the actual FBI.  So, you know, two things in one.”

“Oh.”  Lena blanched, then recovering, she laughed.  “Well, this should be fun.  Last chance to get out before your sister uncovers all of the skeletons in my closet.”

Pulling Lena closer, Kara said, “No chance.  Wait, there aren’t any actual skeletons, are there?”

“Not by my doing.  I can’t make any promises on the part of my mother or my brother.  You know that.”  When Kara just hummed slightly in acknowledgment, Lena asked, “So, what are your plans for the day?”

“I told my sister I had to interview the L-Corp CEO.”

“Oh, is that what we’re calling this?” Lena asked, clearly amused.

Her smile growing, Kara replied, “Yup, and she told me to **nail** the interview.”

Laughing out loud again, Lena said, “Well, I love your interviewing technique, Miss Danvers.  It was very...thorough.  How were my answers?”

“In-depth,” Kara replied, biting her lower lip.

With a throaty laugh, Lena kissed a smile onto Kara’s waiting lips.  “You know, I’ve done a lot of interviews, but yours was definitely my favorite.  Happy Day after Valentine’s Day.”

“I don’t think that’s a holiday.”

With a cheeky grin, Lena replied, “It is now.  Let’s celebrate.”


End file.
